Crime Branch and Ranjhi police jointly arrested two men and seized 5.13 kg of ganja, valued at Rs 2,56,500, during vehicle checking on Monday. A Realme mobile phone was also seized from the accused while the car driver was questioned about the circumstances in which he had given them a lift. SHO of Ranjhi police station Umesh Kumar Golhani, joint team intercepted a speeding Maruti Suzuki Ciaz numbered MP-09BZ-5227 approaching from the Ranjhi side on Monday. The driver identified himself as Bal Kishan Nagwanshi (36), a resident of Bijanwada village in Pipariya, Narmadapuram district.

 

Two young men sitting in the rear seat, each carrying a bag were also questioned. They were identified as Manish Kumar Rajak (25), a resident of near Kali Temple in Kudwari, Gohalpur and Anand Shrivas (24), a resident of near Khermai Temple in Amkhera, Gohalpur. During a search of their bags, police recovered two packets of ganja from Rajak’s bag and three packets from Shrivas’ bag. The total quantity was found to be 5.13 kg. During questioning, the car driver told police that he had travelled from Pachmarhi on October 31 with four passengers, dropping them at Amar Kanta Inn Hotel in Amarkantak after visiting a jungle resort in Kanha-Kisli via Bhedaghat. While returning to Pipariya, he was stopped by the two accused in Dindori. They told him they had missed their bus and needed a lift to Jabalpur, offering him Rs 500 for the ride. He allowed them to travel in his car. Police seized the ganja and mobile phone and registered a case against the two accused under Section 8/20 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Investigators are questioning them to establish the source of the contraband and identify those who supplied it.